QUINSTAR TECHNOLOGY, INCORPORATED — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: ABSTRACT: The proposed effort seeks to develop an innovative ultra low noise amplifier (L

Description

ABSTRACT: The proposed effort seeks to develop an innovative ultra low noise amplifier (LNA) operating at 81-86 GHz. The integrated circuit technology features an optimized noise figure, enhanced linearity, and reduced power consumption. This will be accomplished by a combination of state-of-the-art (SOA) device technology and innovative circuit techniques. The key to achieving the noise performance is active device technology integrating noise cancellation techniques that have successfully been employed at lower frequencies. The technology targets migration path to space communications products where the reduced noise figure, increased linearity, and reduced power consumption have significantly leveraged benefits for the space system. These benefits include reduced mass and complexity, via reduced: 1) antennas sizes and/or transmitter power requirements, 2) distortion compensation hardware, and 3) thermal managements systems. The result is a less costly and more reliable space communications system. In summary, to achieve the significantly improved LNA performance and the resulting system benefits, we are proposing to utilize one of several parallel common source techniques to actively reduce noise and a cascode circuit configuration to improve the amplifier linearity while simultaneously reducing power requirements. The combination of these techniques has never been attempted at these frequencies. BENEFIT: The proposed LNA products target migration to space communications systems where the reduced noise figure, increased linearity, and reduced power consumption have significantly leveraged system benefits. These benefits include reduced mass and complexity, via reduced: 1) antennas sizes and/or transmitter power requirements, 2) distortion compensation hardware/software, and 3) thermal managements systems. The result is a less costly and more reliable satellite communications system. These benefits are applicable to both military and commercial space systems. Although the commercial market does not currently utilize space communication links at these frequencies, migration to this band is anticipated eventually. The specific LNA products or the innovative circuit techniques applied to other W-band amplifiers will provide leveraged economic benefits in air-to-ground or ground-to-ground (e.g. building-to-building) communications systems by reducing the cost of other system equipment, e.g. antenna sizes may be smaller and lower cost and/or transmitters may be lower power. Finally, the improved LNA technology with lower noise figure, increased linearity, and reduced power consumption will find use in virtually all of QuinStar Technology"s future commercial and high reliability W-band LNA product lines. The technology will enable very broadband communications that is also power and bandwidth efficient, for example by enabling high order QAM modulations, in the W-band. From this perspective the technology is revolutionary.